Wednesday>Tuesday>Monday

My prediction this week was right! Today has been better than yesterday (knock on wood) and yesterday was tons better than Monday. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that we are inching closer and closer to the weekend :)I am happy to report that I am putting all social obligations aside this weekend and looking forward to some very therapeutic painting. I’m going to be painting our kitchen-so be sure to check out the before and afters on Monday! We are going from yellow and country to brown and sleek with pops of green. I got a little inspiration from these…

Last night’s run was tiring. It was only 4.5 miles but it seemed to wear my body out. It was a feeling that I haven’t experienced with running so far, it almost felt like I was getting sick. My body was just weak and lifeless after the run and it was really hard to push through. To make matters even worse my route was just plain awful! I will never run it again (back to mapmyrun.com I go!)I can’t complain about the weather though, the seasons have officially clicked. I could smell it in the air as I was running and I’m wearing my brown boots for the first time today since last winter, and I’m still cold in the office. It’s time to switch from cool smoothies in the morning to warm hot chocolate or tea!

Last night’s dinner was the tortilla soup I had planned for tonight. This is an old-time favorite of Chris’s and he suggested we have it since it’s been so rainy and cold all week. That sounded good to me, so the chicken tenders got bumped. It was as good as I remembered it being. Hot food is so comforting. 🙂

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (10 ounce) can chunk chicken (I baked the chicken and shredded it)

1 (15 ounce) can black beans (I don’t like beans so I left them out!)

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained

Directions:

Open the cans of corn, chicken broth, chunk chicken, black beans, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. Pour everything into a large saucepan or stock pot. Simmer over medium heat until chicken is heated through.

Sprinkle cheese and a dollop of sour cream on top-serve with chips.

since we are already on the topic of food, I’m ridiculously excited that I found some great recipes in this little FREE booklet at the grocery store. That Martha Steward is so clever, I tell ya! Here are just a few of the recipes I found that I am dying to make in the coming weeks…

Baked Eggs in Tomatoes

Tomato and goat cheese tart

Baked Plantain Chips

Salmon Skewers with Smashed Potatoes

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

Bacon, egg and toast cups (trying these this weekend!)

Upside-down Mushroom Tartlets

Okra Fritters

Tonight I am going to feed the hungry at the historic “Wall” in downtown Charlotte. Every Wednesday many of my city’s residents line up to be fed by one organization or another. It is really sad to see how many faces there are out there in my own community that are homeless or don’t have means to get a cooked meal every night of the week. I urge people to try and volunteer in their cities, it is beyond gratifying and as cheesy as it sounds, LOVE really does make the world go-round!

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My name is Claire and I have found a new love for cooking and running, accompanying a growing appreciation for live music and a nicely brewed beer. This blog helps to keep me accountable for striving for a better quality of life, while helping me balance all it's indulgences.